I simply don鈥檛 get on with Eimear McBride鈥檚 writing style and find her books essentially impenetrable. In her latest novel she returns to the characteI simply don鈥檛 get on with Eimear McBride鈥檚 writing style and find her books essentially impenetrable. In her latest novel she returns to the characters we met in The Lesser Bohemians, Eily and Stephen, now two years into their turbulent relationship. The story alternates between a night-time conversation between the two in the present, with flashbacks to formative moments from 1995-1996. Moments that include trauma, addiction, self-harm and the sudden arrival of Stephen鈥檚 estranged daughter Grace from a previous relationship. These two timelines gradually converge. The fragmented and experimental prose style, with the jumps about in time and place, plus an 80-page screenplay of the film Stephen is writing makes for some tedious reading, in my opinion. Narrated through Eily鈥檚 unfiltered thoughts, reflecting what it鈥檚 like to be in someone else鈥檚鈥� head can be a successful strategy if the reader actually enjoys being inside that head. I didn鈥檛. I couldn't relate to either character and after a while found myself skim-reading. McBride is much acclaimed, but not by me. Experimental writing can make a good novel, but in this case I don鈥檛 think it does....more
Set largely in rural Kentucky, Fulfillment tells the story of two half-brothers whose lives have taken dramatically different paths. Emmett works at aSet largely in rural Kentucky, Fulfillment tells the story of two half-brothers whose lives have taken dramatically different paths. Emmett works at a vast distribution centre, struggles with debt and dreams of being a scriptwriter, dreams that have so far failed to materialise. Joel has become a successful writer and academic, and is married to Alice. When the brothers meet again for the first time after many years, their contrasting circumstances make for a volatile dynamic, not helped by their mother鈥檚 obvious favouritism towards Joel. Against this family background, Cole explores broader societal issues, as the characters are caught between reality and their aspirations and the larger forces that shape their lives. It鈥檚 a wonderfully perceptive and nuanced exploration of class, family, economics and work, and what fulfilment actually means. The characters are fully rounded and relatable, and the dialogue is authentic. It鈥檚 a convincing portrait of contemporary life, and although I didn鈥檛 enjoy it quite as much as Cole鈥檚 debut novel, it鈥檚 still a very fine piece of work, convincing overall if a little predictable at times, thought-provoking and relevant. ...more
A new one for me 鈥� I鈥檇 never heard of E D E N Southworth although in her day she was a prolific and much acclaimed author who wrote over 50 books and A new one for me 鈥� I鈥檇 never heard of E D E N Southworth although in her day she was a prolific and much acclaimed author who wrote over 50 books and had a devoted readership. From best-selling novelist she disappeared into oblivion almost overnight. Tastes change and her work began to feel outdated and old-fashioned as the 20th century wore on. This comprehensive and detailed biography vividly brings her to the fore again for a long overdue reassessment. Based on extensive research, Southworth's letters as well as her writing, and archival documents she lives again, and although I suspect there won鈥檛 be a great revival of interest in her, she certainly deserves to be remembered, and who knows, she might just possibly gain a new readership. ...more
A disparate group of characters gather together one night at a literary awards ceremony in Berlin - an Arab author who is receiving a prize, his art cA disparate group of characters gather together one night at a literary awards ceremony in Berlin - an Arab author who is receiving a prize, his art critic friend and the friend鈥檚 15-year-old trans daughter, and sundry other characters or more accurately types. They meet and connect or not, reconnect and disconnect as the evening wears on and they talk. And talk. Conversations about many of the issues current in our society today, from transphobia to racism, wokeness to identity. But what does all this talk amount to? Not very much, in my opinion. I couldn鈥檛 relate to any of the characters, didn鈥檛 care about any of them, and felt I was trapped at a party that I hadn鈥檛 wanted to go to in the first place and was now desperately looking for an opportunity to escape. A comedy of manners, that isn鈥檛 funny, a novel of ideas that aren鈥檛 new or original. It all left me cold and I was relieved to finally close the book and quit these vacuous self-obsessed people. At last I could leave the party. ...more
Apart from the name I knew little about Ted Bundy 鈥� just that he was a serial killer and took the lives of a number of young women. This excellently rApart from the name I knew little about Ted Bundy 鈥� just that he was a serial killer and took the lives of a number of young women. This excellently researched book fills in all the details of his monstrous crimes, and does so without sensationalism, disturbing though the subject matter is. He is certainly one of America鈥檚 most notorious murderers and it is chilling reading about how adept he was at manipulating the women he met and forged relationships with. I suspect that with advances in forensic techniques and computerisation of information, he wouldn鈥檛 have been able to carry on his savage spree for so long, but police forces often didn鈥檛 communicate effectively back then, allowing him to move around the country to escape surveillance. It鈥檚 a gruesome tale of a psychopath at work, a tale mediated on occasion through his own words, and I found the book a truly compelling read. ...more
I can鈥檛 understand why this ambitious and complex novel about racism in the United States isn鈥檛 better known, as it鈥檚 a brilliant roman a clef which iI can鈥檛 understand why this ambitious and complex novel about racism in the United States isn鈥檛 better known, as it鈥檚 a brilliant roman a clef which incorporates so many themes which are just as pertinent today as they were in 1967 when it was first published. It seems to have been overshadowed by better known novels by James Baldwin, Richard Wright and Ralph Ellison, but in my opinion it as certainly as good as those, if, indeed, it doesn鈥檛 surpass them. It鈥檚 a heartfelt and passionate cry against racism, and an introspective portrait of a Black man searching for identity and meaning in his life in a society that discriminates against him in so many ways. Max Reddick is a writer, journalist and activist dying of cancer, who reflects back on his life as it comes to an end. Through his retrospective narrative the novel offers the reader a sweeping panorama of the Black experience in 20th century America and chronicles the tension within the Black community itself. The book weaves real-life figures, such as JFK, Malcolm X and Jams Baldwin, with fictional ones in a non-linear narrative that jumps about in time and place. The reader needs to concentrate, and benefits from doing some background research. Part of the reading pleasure is trying to match up the fictional characters with their real-life equivalents. Reddick himself is possibly based on Richard Wright. He鈥檚 a flawed but compelling character and I soon became invested in his plight. The toll the racial struggle takes on all the characters is sympathetically portrayed and feels very real. As Reddick鈥檚 physical condition deteriorates, it seems to reflect the deterioration in the success of the civil rights movement as a whole. Broad in scope, touching on racism, segregation, conspiracy theory, post-colonial history with a dash of the thriller in the mix, it鈥檚 a multi-layered and thought-provoking book which I very much enjoyed. An angry book and sadly still a very relevant one. ...more
On the whole I found this collection of short stories unsatisfying. They seemed pretty pointless and there was no sense of anything being resolved by On the whole I found this collection of short stories unsatisfying. They seemed pretty pointless and there was no sense of anything being resolved by the end of each one. As vignettes they are well-written and evocative, but I failed to engage with the characters, although some of the scenarios were unsettling, admittedly. Ultimately I simply felt indifferent and struggled to keep reading. ...more
An unflinching and often brutal exploration of the lives of female inmates caught up in Nigeria's inefficient and often corrupt judicial system. Set aAn unflinching and often brutal exploration of the lives of female inmates caught up in Nigeria's inefficient and often corrupt judicial system. Set against the backdrop of a dilapidated prison, the novel depicts the harrowing experiences of the women imprisoned there, some for years and often without due process of law. A broken down Black Maria means they can鈥檛 even be taken to court to have their cases heard. The narrative weaves together the personal stories of the inmates against a broader societal and political critique, highlighting the endemic corruption of the Nigerian state, which, incidentally, doesn鈥檛 come out at all well from this portrayal. Each of the women gets their chance to narrate their story 鈥� much like in the Canterbury Tales or the Decameron 鈥� so that the reader receives the full gamut of tales of oppression, violence and cruelty that seems to pervade every aspect of Nigerian life. My only real objection to the book is the graphic and constant depiction of sex, a subject that everyone, including the prisoners seems to be obsessed by, and the subsequent foul language. But if we are to accept that the book is an authentic portrait of at least a part of Nigerian society, then perhaps the pervasive sex is equally authentic and needs to be here. Personally I found it tedious and for me it detracted from the seriousness of the major themes of the novel. But overall this is an original, and, I feel, an important book that deserves a wide readership, and I am surprised that it has had so little critical attention. It deserves more. ...more
A surprisingly accomplished debut novel, this 鈥渜uietly devastating鈥� and bleak portrait of a farming family in North Wales, with its combination of theA surprisingly accomplished debut novel, this 鈥渜uietly devastating鈥� and bleak portrait of a farming family in North Wales, with its combination of the personal and the political, packs quite a punch. It鈥檚 the story of a family pushed to the brink by war, personal demons and the sheer relentless challenge of farming life. Set in 2004 on a hill farm, we meet John and Catrin, whose eldest son Harri is serving in Iraq while their youngest Rhys is facing troubles at school. The family is struggling with mounting debts, which John鈥檚 gambling addiction does nothing to help. Catrin has recently re-connected to an old flame, adding further tensions to the marriage. Grounding everything in chilling reality is the inclusion of excerpts from the Chilcot report. There are many themes addressed in the book, all of which are well integrated, and the narrative arc is flawless. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, becoming involved in the story and the characters鈥� tribulations, and found it an authentic, nuanced and insightful exploration of family life under extreme stress. ...more
This honest, open and candid account of growing up gay in Iran, where homosexuality is punishable by death, was quite a revelation to me. The author oThis honest, open and candid account of growing up gay in Iran, where homosexuality is punishable by death, was quite a revelation to me. The author offers a rare glimpse into a usually hidden world, and tells of the surprisingly vibrant gay scene in Tehran, which, in spite of the ever-present threat from the morality police, continues to flourish. The author, writing under a pseudonym, tells of his early life and sexual awakening, his encounters with other gay men and the relationships he was able to forge. Eventually moving to London and becoming a doctor, he movingly explores some of the untold stories of living under a repressive and punitive regime, and shows how the gay community in Iran somehow manages to thrive in spite of severe persecution. The book unnecessarily jumps about too much in time and place, but overall is a truly compelling and remarkable read, from which I learnt a great deal. ...more
This intriguing Japanese psychological mystery kept me engaged but didn鈥檛 always convince. It tells the story of Minoru Aose, a middle-aged Japanese aThis intriguing Japanese psychological mystery kept me engaged but didn鈥檛 always convince. It tells the story of Minoru Aose, a middle-aged Japanese architect, whose greatest achievement to date has been the award-winning private residence the Yoshino House. Yet some years later he discovers that the house remains uninhabited and empty except for a single chair facing the northern light, a chair apparently designed by the renowned German architect Bruno Taut, who spent some time in Japan after leaving Nazi Germany. The narrative goes on to explore the mystery of the missing owners of the house and the significance of the chair, as well as delving into Aose鈥檚 own somewhat troubled past. It鈥檚 quite a convoluted tale and one which requires some dedication on the part of the reader, as it sometimes gets bogged down in sub-plots and with minor characters. This slows things down and detracts from the central storyline. I did enjoy exploring Aose鈥檚 personal journey which I felt was told with psychological insight and depth, and I also enjoyed learning about Bruno Taut, but overall I felt that the novel was a bit too ambitious for its own good and tried to incorporate too many ideas and themes. I would have appreciated a tighter and more focussed narrative. ...more
A powerful and often moving rags to riches story, this memoir from Ed Hajim makes for compelling reading. He charts his journey form one of deprivatioA powerful and often moving rags to riches story, this memoir from Ed Hajim makes for compelling reading. He charts his journey form one of deprivation to enormous professional and personal success with insight and thoughtfulness, and I very much enjoyed it. ...more
This short but insightful biography of the real man behind Joshua Reynolds iconic 1776 painting 鈥淧ortrait of Omai鈥� is both engaging and informative. IThis short but insightful biography of the real man behind Joshua Reynolds iconic 1776 painting 鈥淧ortrait of Omai鈥� is both engaging and informative. It tells of how he was brought to England after being 鈥渄iscovered鈥� by Captain James Cook in Tahiti in 1774, and how he became a celebrity who captivated the public imagination. Mai (Omai is a misunderstanding of the prefix 鈥渙鈥�) was the first man from the South Seas to visit England and was presented to King George, taken around amongst the great and the good, but sadly didn鈥檛 fare so well when he returned to Polynesia. The author has done his research and gives the reader a thoughtful account of the whole episode. As well as a biography of Mai himself, the book is also a brief study of colonialism and European exploration, and attitudes to the 鈥渆xotic鈥�. Excellent illustrations accompany the text....more
A personal chronicle that weaves together memoir, family history and colonial-era storytelling. Ambitious and very long, the narrative is structured iA personal chronicle that weaves together memoir, family history and colonial-era storytelling. Ambitious and very long, the narrative is structured in three sections, with the first being the author鈥檚 own personal reflections and experiences, the second delving into the Baillie family roots and their ties to the East India Company, and the third, which is the most interesting, draws form the letters written by the five brothers during their service. These letters recount their experiences during pivotal historical events such as the Indian Mutiny, as well as their daily lives. The book offers a valuable resource for those interested in colonial history but my goodness, it鈥檚 tedious, and I found myself skipping large chunks. It rambles, it鈥檚 disjointed and none of the brothers truly comes alive. Pity, as it could have been so much more in the hands of a better writer. ...more
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